King Kong DVD release? (1933) (1 Viewer)

[David Whiteman]

Hello all! First posting here. I wondered if there was any information on the Region 1 DVD release of the 1933 King Kong? One of my favorite older films and I'm looking forward to seeing the DVD. Thanks for having me here!

 

[Joseph Bolus]

All we're hearing is that it's being worked on. It will be a two-disc Special Edition and the video restoration is being handled by LDI, so it'll probably look pristine.

At one time, we were expecting this release last year for the 70th Anniversary, but as of now there's no real indication as to when it'll be released.

(The suspicion is that it's being held back to be released in close proximity to the new Peter Jackson King Kong re-make.)

 

[EricSchulz]

Digitalbits.com shows it on their 2004 TBD schedule, but it's been held back for so many yearss I take that with a grain of salt. I just hope that there is a shot of the giant spider scene that was cut and supposedly lost....

 

[Mark-W]

Based on the WB chat, I was under the impression a that better quality print was recently located and that this DVD, when it comes out, will "BLOW YOU AWAY."

Anyone have that quote from the chat?

 

[Mark-W]

Found it:

ChrisSierra: First off, thanks for chatting with us tonight. I apologize
if this has already been covered as I came in a little late, but can you
tell us anything about the King Kong release? PS- can't wait for those
animated Batman DVDs! Thanks!

WarnerBros: You're welcome. We're glad to be here. We really don't want
to go into details on KONG except to say it will be a 2 disc SE, and we
are currently doing a film element restoration on it from a gorgeous nitrate
element located recently in Europe. Well worth waiting for. Kong will now
fall from the Empire State Building without gaps!

So, depending on your level of cynicism, this is being
delayed to get it the absolute best treatment (my POV),
and that it is a "happy coninsidence" that Jackson's version
is coming to theaters in the future and a marketing tie-in
in a no-brainer and that is the reason for the delay.

Either way, this is a DVD I cannot wait to own!

 

[oscar_merkx]

same here cannot wait to see this in its full glory

 

[Ryan Belfast]

What did warner mean by "Kong will now fall from the Empire State Building without gaps!"

Maybe I am missing something.

LOL

 

[Roger Rollins]

Just to be clear, with Warners peerless track record when it comes to giving the classics A+ treatment, I'm sure KONG will indeed look as pristine as possible.

That being said, no one "official", certainly not Warners, has indicated that LDI is involved with KONG.

 

[Jay Pennington]

On the prints used on all previous video releases, footage is missing from the middle of the shot of Kong falling, resulting in a jump in his descent.

 

[Ryan Belfast]

Ahhhhhh

Thank you Jay!

 

[Jeff_HR]

I'll be really POed if this film is intentionally held back from release to coincide with the theatrical release of Jackson's version. With it is done get it out the DOOR!

 

[Patrick McCart]

Well, they've delayed for quality issues before. Doctor Zhivago was going to be released in 1998 (while Turner was still at MGM), but they cancelled it and ended up releasing it 3 years later with an LDI remaster.


Although, it's not like it's a bad thing if Kong ends up taking until 2005 to be cleaned up properly. It's an already popular film, so a release near the same time of the remake's would only increase the demand for the original.

Warner's doing this with a more obscured film, Around the World in Eighty Days, yet it'll probably get the film a better following.

However, it would be pointless to hold back Kong ONLY to tie-in, if the DVD is ready by this year. But this IS a nitrate element, so who knows how much processing will be needed to turn out a proper DVD. And this IS a 1933 RKO film.

 

[Jeff_HR]

I seriously doubt that the teenage audience of today that ALL Studios aim their theatrical and then DVD releases at these days would be interested in a 70+ year old B&W film with a "leisurely" pace.

 

[oscar_merkx]

I would be interested in both versions,although I would screen the 1933 version more

 

[BarryRR]

Rumor is that Peter Jackson is doing his best to lure 96 year-old Fay Wray to do a cameo. I hope it happens.

 

[Jack Theakston]

I don't... for Miss Wray's part. I don't think I could stand Jackson's stinky, bare, hobbit-feet running around the set.

 

[DanHaya]

If you have ever read Peter Jackson's original script from 1996 (which he is completely rewriting), he had a character named, simply, "Old Lady", uttering the famous line "It wasn't the airplanes; it was beauty killed the beast" instead of Carl Denham. It has been speculated, for obvious reasons, that Jackson wanted Ms. Wray to play that part as a brief cameo at the end of the film.

Last I heard, she had turned him down...the main reason being (again, pure speculation) that, at her advanced age, she didn't want to fly all the way to New Zealand to film a cameo.

 

[Mark-W]

DanHaya-

They should just green screen her in then!



Mark

 

[Ed St. Clair]

I've been waiting as long, or longer, than anyone.
Since 1996, when DVD was just a gimmer in the eye of videophiles. As it's my fave film of ALL time.
ONLY good new's, LDI has doubled the resolution of their restroration restorer. They even stated they wish they could redo Citizen Kane (and NOT just cause of the 'removed' rain!), because they know they can do a much better job now!
BRING ON KONG!!! THE EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD!!!

 

[Nick Laslett]

Am I right in thinking that King Kong (1933) has not yet been released on DVD in the US?

If true, I am amazed.

I picked up the UK R2 dvd 2 years ago. At this point I would be happy to double dip, although the current R2 is pretty good for a 70 year old film.

The NFT print is pretty good too. They were showing it when Jurassic Park was released in '93. I saw JP twice at the cinema, but watching King Kong a few days later for the first time on the big screen, it sure blew that film away. The fight between Kong and T-Rex was a marvel. Willis O'Brien was a genius at stop motion animation.